The First Day of the Lunar New Year: Burning Incense and the Quick Removal of This Item From Your Ancestral Altar to Preserve Prosperity.

11 July, 2025

It is important to note that certain items should not be left on the altar for too long after offering incense, as they may bring bad luck and negative energy to the household. The following is a list of items that should be removed from the altar immediately, along with the reasons and proper disposal methods according to spiritual beliefs.

1. Offered Flowers – Remove as Soon as They Wilt

Flowers on the altar tend to wither quickly, especially if offered during a hot morning. In feng shui, fresh flowers represent positive energy and life, while wilted flowers symbolize negative energy and decay.

Leaving wilted flowers on the altar for too long is considered a bad omen, attracting negative energy that can impact the family’s wealth and health. Therefore, once the incense has burned out and the flowers start to wilt, remove them from the altar, trim the damaged parts, and change the water or replace them with fresh flowers if necessary.

Avoid using artificial flowers on the altar. While convenient, artificial flowers carry negative energy and diminish the sacredness of the worship space.

2. Paper Money and Gold – Burn Promptly, Not Left Overnight

Some families have the habit of leaving offered paper money and gold on the altar for a few days before burning them. However, this practice is considered taboo in spiritual beliefs. The paper money and gold should be burned immediately after the incense has burned out, symbolizing the completion of the ritual and ensuring that the receiving spirits get their blessings timely and fully.

Leaving the paper money and gold on the altar for too long can cause a stagnation of blessings, affecting the family’s finances and business. The correct way is to burn them as soon as the incense has burned out (usually after 30 minutes to an hour) and dispose of them properly, clearing the altar space and maintaining its cleanliness.

3. Ripe Fruits – Do Not Let Them Rot

Fruits offered as a sacrifice symbolize abundance and prosperity. However, after the ritual, if the fruits are overripe, especially during hot summer days, they should be removed promptly to prevent spoilage.

Leaving overripe or rotten fruits on the altar is considered inauspicious, reducing the positive energy of the altar and attracting negative energies. It also shows a lack of respect for the ancestors and the sacredness of the altar. Therefore, once the fruits start to soften, they should be removed and consumed, sharing the blessings with family members and maintaining the tradition of not wasting offerings.

Why is Timely Removal Important?

In spiritual beliefs, the altar is a sacred space that connects the living world and the afterlife. It should be kept clean and free from negative energies, and items that no longer carry positive energy should not be left there for too long.

Items like wilted flowers, rotten fruits, and unburned paper money are believed to obstruct the flow of wealth and positive energy, bringing bad luck and hindrances to the family in the new month.

Additional Notes for the First Day of the Lunar Month:

Offer incense with a calm and peaceful mind.
Clean the altar before making offerings.
Avoid offering salty foods unless it is for a specific ritual (except for offerings to the God of Wealth and the Earth God).
After the ritual, share the blessings with family members to spread good fortune and avoid concentrating it on one person.

The first day of the lunar month holds significant importance in feng shui and spiritual practices. Proper incense offering is essential, but knowing what to remove and when to remove it is equally crucial to maintaining wealth and avoiding bad luck. Start the new month on a positive note and keep negative energies at bay!